WEST LAFAYETTE – Purdue women’s basketball for the first five minutes played like a program that could match the speed and veracity of reigning national champion No. 4 ranked South Carolina.
South Carolina missed six 3-pointers and Purdue attacked the basket and hinted at least for the time, a defensive stubbornness that it could carry for 40 minutes.
But then came the old problems that plagued the program in 2023-24. Turnovers in its half court offense and troubles securing the basketball squandered any chance the Boilermakers had at stunning the Gamecocks at Suncoast Arena in Fort Myers, Fla.
South Carolina ballooned a 10-10 tie with 5:27 in the first quarter into a route to decimate Purdue 99-51 on Saturday afternoon.
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Sophomore MiLaysia Fulwiley led seven South Carolina players who reached double figures in scoring with 14 points to prove the Gamecocks still have plenty of talent, depth and experience left over after getting routed 77-62 by UCLA last Sunday.
Ashlyn Watkins and Tessa Johnson each added 13 points off the bench. Starters Bree Hall and Chloe Kitts each scored 12 points, Joyce Edwards scored 11 points and Maddy McDaniel added 10 points for South Carolina (7-1).
Watkins and Edwards each had nine boards for South Carolina who outrebounded Purdue 56-26. The Gamecocks grabbed 30 offensive rebounds, more than the Boilermakers combined total.
Purdue freshman Lana McCarthy picked up two fouls in the opening four minutes and the 6-foot-5 starting center from Bedford, New Hampshire could only play 19 minutes. McCarthy finished with 6 points.
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Senior transfer Destini Lombard led Purdue (4-3) with 24 points on 9-of-17 shooting including 4-of-5 from 3-point range but could do little against the depth of South Carolina which outworked Purdue on the boards and in gaining second chance opportunities.
The Boilermakers have lost eight straight games to ranked opponents since beating No. 2 ranked Ohio State 73-65 on Jan. 29, 2023.
Purdue, at least for half a quarter showed it could match South Carolina but just couldn’t sustain its momentum.
The Boilermakers leave their Thanksgiving tournament in Florida with a two-game losing streak and return to Mackey Arena to face Maine on Dec. 4. Tipoff is at 7 p.m.
Ethan Hanson is the sports reporter for the Journal & Courier in Lafayette. He can be reached at ehanson@jconline.com, on Twitter at EthanAHanson and Instagram at ethan_a_hanson.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Purdue women’s basketball falls to South Carolina in Florida
